Energy Center

Phillip Owens

Contact Information

Biography

Dr. Owens’ research involves mapping, monitoring, and modeling of landscape-soil-hydrology relationships to develop quantitative predictable patterns reflected by soil morphology to better estimate potential crops and crop yields at multiple scales. The research projects require instrumentation, digital mapping and remote sensing to develop relationships which provide prediction of the effects of soil properties on nutrient distribution, water availability, and nutrient availability in heterogeneous soil landscapes. The overall goal of Dr. Owens’ research program is to couple pedological and biogeochemical processes to integrate processes that affect biofuel crop production and soil suitability for traditional and alternative crops in a holistic environmentally sustainable production system. Incorporating broader scales and understanding of soils information leads to better utilization of the soils as a natural resource.